Cigarette dispensing device



Sept. 27; 1960 C. C. ADAMS CIGARETTE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 24,1957 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Gee ILL CI fldams INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Sept. 27,1960 c. c. ADAMS CIGARETTE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1957 3Sheets-Sheet 2 III I! 'I'IIIIIIIII I! II '1 I v I! I! I I I. III) I II I'1', I! II III! IIIIII I, Jill I IIIIIIIIII a a M/ v 45 M m -3 2 6 7. 9s m 5 a 6 a A. J Hf J 400.M ,m/ as f II Ilhl ll 5 7 5 7 aflx m T 6R 0 mmflm C 0 l 6 w G J m 3 M 2 1 5 u a -3 5 8 .MJ H OI 1 w i 3 M W ATTORNEYSp 9 0 c. c. ADAMS 2,954,143

CIGARETTE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept 27,1950

CIGARETTE DISPENSING DEVICE Cecil C. Adams, Rte, 1', Box 87, Lovelady,Tex. Filed Apr. 24, 1957, Ser. No. 660,435 1 Claim. (Cl. 22 1.24)

This invention relates to a cigarette dispensing device, and has as itsprimary object the provision of means associated with a receptacle forholding cigarettes, for dispensing a single cigarette at a time andserving theso dispensed cigarette to a smoker in a convenient posmon forready grasping of the cigarette.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a devicewhich may be adapted for use in a vehicle, such as an automobile, or thelike, which may be readily operated with one hand, thus avoiding thenecessity of fumbling in a cigarette package. with both hands,and'leaving one hand free for attention to the driving of the vehicle.

An additional object of the invention is the provisionof such a devicewhich is novel in appearance, enter-..

taining in effect, and which has means in simulation of a bird, animal,or human figure, which is movable to Withdraw the cigarette.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device ofthis character which is constructed of transparent material, sothat thequantity of cigarettes in the receptacle may be readily determined at aglance.

A still further object of the invention resides inthe provision of adevice of this nature which is sturdy and durable in construction,reliable and efficient in operation, and relatively simple andinexpensive to manufacture and assemble. f

Additional objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangementsof parts, and features of construction, as will be more fully pointedout hereinafter, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevationalview of one form of device embodyingfeatures of this inventive concept.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the device of Figure 1 as viewedfrom the right.

Figure 3 is a similar end elevational view of the device of Figure 1 asviewed from the left.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially along theline 44 of Figure 3 as viewed from the direction indicated by thearrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 ofFigure 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 ofFigure 4 as viewed from the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 ofFigure 8, as viewed from the direction indicated by the arrows, showingthe parts in a different position of adjustment.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line S8 ofFigures 1 and 7 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 99 ofFigure 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line ltlfltlof Figure 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken substantially along theline 11-11 ofFigure 8.

' FigurelZ is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 1212of Figure 7 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the device of theinstant invention, generally indicated at 20 comprises a hollow basemember including a bottom wall 21, end walls 22, and side walls 23 and24 respectively. A top plate 25 closes the base receptacle 20, and isprovided adjacent one end with a transversely extending relatively wideopening 26, and at a point adjacent its other end with a longitudinallyextending slot 27, the purpose of which opening and slot will be morefully described hereinafter.

A cigarette container 29 is mounted on one end of the base receptacle,and includes front and rear walls 30, side walls 31 and a removable top32. The top 32 is provided with side flanges 33 and an end flange 34having a cutaway portion 35 to afford a finger grip for facilitatingremoval and replacement thereof.

The interior of cigarette container 29 is provided with a plurality ofinclined baflles or guides 36 extending the full transverse width of thecontainer, to provide a tortuous path for the feeding of cigarettesdownwardly, the'lowermost bafile 37 terminating at a spaced point abovea slidable tray 33, which is provided with a front Wall 39, which closesa transversely extending opening in the 'lower portion of container 29immediately adjacent top plate 25. The tray 38 is provided adjacent thevertical closure member- 39 with a trough 4 1, which has therein a pairof rearwardly and downwardly inclined spaced apart baflles 42.

The-arrangement issuch that the lowermost cigarette between thelowermost baflle 36 and battle 37 rests against the partitions 42, andseats in the trough 41. When the tray 38 is extended forwardly out ofcontainer 2%, in a manner and for a purpose to be more fully describedhereinafter, the cigarette seated in the trough 41 passes out of thecontainer, but the width of the opening 40 is insuflicient to permit acigarette resting on the tray 38 rearwardly of trough 41 to passtherethrough, and in con: sequence only one cigarette is passed out ofthe container at a time. i

A pair of journal members 45 are carried by the top plate 25 on theopposite sides thereof in alignment with the opening 26, and havemounted for rotation therein an axle 46, which is surrounded by arelatively large roller member 47. The lower portion of the roller 47extends through opening 26 into the base receptacle, and is provided onits lower portion interiorly of the receptacle with a depending lug 48,which is apertured to accommodate the upwardly extending end 49 of asubstantially U-shaped wire, which includes a bight portion 50, and anupwardly extending in an eye 52 spaced from the lug 48.

The eye 52 is engaged by an eye 53 carried by one end of a link 54,which includes an arcuate portion 55 (see Fig. 5) lying in a horizontalplane, and extending to one end of a lever 56, which is pivoted on ashaft 57 which extends between internal journal blocks 58 carriedportion 51 terminating A pair of spaced rods have their ends .66suitably embedded in roller 47 (see Fig. 8) and at their opposite endsare suitably connected to a transversely extending operating rod or bar68, which extends outwardly through an arcuate slot 69 in side Wall 24of the base receptacle and terminates in an operating knob exteriorly ofthe base receptacle. It will thus be seen that move ment of theoperating knob 70 from the position of Figure l rearwardly in arcuateslot 69 will rotate the roller 47, for a purpose now to be described. Afinger hold 71 is suitably secured to the outer side of wall 24,

whereby operating knob 70 and finger hold 71 may be grasped between theforefinger and thumb to move the knob 70 and its associated operatingrod 68 in one direction Within the slot 69.

A body portion 75 of a simulated figure, generally indicated at '76 isfixedly secured to the top of roller 4-7, in diametri'cal opposition tolug 48, and has a bore 77 extending therethrough in alignment with abore 77a in roller 47, through which bores the rod or wire 49 extends.The body-75 is provided with a centrally positioned recess or chamber78, and the rod 4-9 extends into a head portion 79, within which it isfixedly secured.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown the simulatedfigure 76 is that of a bird, the head portion 79 being provided with anelongated bill 80, which is split as at 81, at its extremity. While theform shown is that of a bird, it will be obvious that any othersimulated figure may be substituted therefor, such as a human figurehaving projecting arms, with the hands taking the place of the separatedbill, or other suitable ornamental device.

It will thus be seen that rotation of the rod 49, by means of the link54, which link 54 will be moved when the arms 65 are moved by operatinghandle 70 to rotate roller 47, will cause the head 79 to rotate from theposition shown, for example in Figure l,v wherein the head is tilted tothe side, to the position of Figure 7, wherein the bill 80 extendsstraight downwardly into the trough 41, previously described.

The simulated figure 76 is also provided with a movable tail portion 82,which is mounted on the end of a rod 83 which extends through a suitablebore 84 extending transversely of the body 75, and which is mounted onan axle 85 for oscillatory movement, the wire 83 being looped around theaxle, and extending into recess 78 where it terminates in an eye 86looped around rod 49.

Positioned within the recess 78 and secured to rod 49 is an eccentric90, which upon rotation of rod 49 is adapted to engage a raised portion91 carried by eye 86, to provide an oscillatory movement of wire 83about axle 85, which in turn imparts a vertical reciprocation of tailportion 82 relative to the body 75, upon rotation of rod 49 in themanner previously described.

Referring again to base receptacle 20 there is provided an elongatedcoil spring 96, which is secured at one end to a projection 97 adjacentthe base of one end wall 22, and extends forwardly, as best shown inFigs. 5 and 6 through a lower opening 98 in lever 56 below its axle 57,to operating rod 68, to which it is secured, the arrangement being suchas normally to bias roller 47 and its associated figure 76 to uprightposition, as shown in Figure 1.

A double eye has one of its loops 100 secured about rod 68, while theother end 101 engages about a loop 102 formed at one end of a link 103.

The eye 104 of link 103 surrounds an eye 105 carried by a depending pin106, which extends upwardly through the slot 27 and engages in thebottom of tray 38.

A tension spring 107 engages about pin 106, and is secured at its endsto suitable projections 108 carried by the adjacent end wall 22 of thebase receptacle 20. The spring 107, through its engagement with pin 106serves normally to bias the tray 38 interiorly of cigarette container29, in retracted position.

From the foregoing the use and operation of the device should now bereadily understandable. When the cover 32 is removed, container 29 isfilled with cigarettes, which pass tortuously over bafiles 36 and 37,until the foremost is adjacent baffles 42, and rests'in the trough 41.

When the operating handle '70 is moved in arcuate slot 69 from theposition of Figure 1 to the position of Figure 7, the roller 47 isrotated about stub axles 46 to move the body 75, through the linkagepreviously described to the inclined position of Figure 7. At the sametime the tray '58 is extended, by means of the pin 106, and the head 79*is rotated by rotation of the rod 49 through the linkage previouslydescribed, to upright position. As the bill moves downwardly, acigarette is wedgingly engaged by the space 81 between the ends of thebill. The release of handle 70 then occasions through the action ofspring 96, retraction of the body 76 to upright position, with thecigarette still grasped firmly within the bill portion 81, andsimultaneously through the action of spring 107 on tray 38 retracts thetray 38 into position to receive the next cigarette resting against thefront wall 30 of container 29'. Simultaneously the head, through theaction of lever 56 and the associated spring 96 is turned outwardly in adirection toward the operator, to present the cigarette to him in aconvenient position for grasping with the fingers.

The device may be employed in the home as a cigarette server, or may besecured to any suitable loca tion, such as the dash of a motor vehicle.Any suitable securing means may be employed if desired, but in theillustrative embodiment, permanent magnets 110 are suitably secured atspaced intervals about base 21, for securing the device in a desiredposition.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided animproved cigarette dispensing device which accomplishes all of theobjects of this invention, and others, including many advantages ofgreat practical utility, and has additionally a relatively highentertainment value.

As various embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and asvarious modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shownand described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In a cigarette dispensing device, the combination of a base receptaclehaving a top, bottom, side walls and end walls, a cigarette containercarried by the top of said base receptacle, a tray slidable in saidcontainer to expose a cigarette exteriorly of said container on the topof said base receptacle, said top having a slot adjacent one end thereofand a transverse opening adjacent the other end thereof, a pin securedto said tray extending through said slot into said receptacle, a rollermounted exteriorly of said top over said opening, a simulated figureincluding a body portion and an extending cigarette grasping portionmounted on said roller, a rod extending from said roller into saidreceptacle, an operating arm connected to said roller, a side wall ofsaid receptacle having an arcuate slot therein, a portion of saidoperating arm extending out of said receptacle through said arcuate slotfor manual manipulation, a link connecting said arm with said pinsimultaneously to move said pin to extend said tray and move said rodupon rotation of said roller by said arm to tilt said figure to engagesaid cigarette grasping portion into engaging relation with a cigarettein said tray, said rod being rotatably extended through said roller androtatable in said body about an axis lying in a vertical plane and fixedin said cigarette grasping portion, linkage connected between saidoperating arm, said receptacle, and said rod and movable by saidoperating arm to rotate said rod and hence said cigarette graspingportion simultaneously with the tilting of said figure, and

spring means for returning said figure to upright position andsimultaneously returning said tray to retracted position upon release ofsaid operating arm, said simulated figure being in the form of a birdand the cigarette grasping portion in the form 10f a birds head having acleft bill, said figure being provided with a separate movable tailportion, and means operable by rotation of said rod for moving said tailportion, said means including a collar on said rod, a cam surface onsaid collar, said body having a recess therein, and a lever pivoted insaid recess, 10

one end of said lever being secured to said tail portion, and the otherend engaging said cam surface, whereby rotation of said collar movessaid cam surface to move said lever and hence said tail portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS AmadeoJuly 8, Fey Apr. 26, Miller Nov. 23, Furr Sept. 12, King Apr. 10,

FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Apr. 14, Switzerland Aug. 16,

